NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The Indian Hills neighborhood in North Little Rock has long been known for its community club— featuring lakes, creeks, a pool, tennis courts, and more.
Recently, many of these areas have fallen into disrepair and the community club could lose them if nothing is done about it.
"If we close down as a club, we lose our tax-exempt status,” said Alisa Dixon, President of the Indian Hills Community Club (IHCC). “What happens to the land? Could it go up for public auction? Possibly."
The IHCC board thinks it may have found a solution. If enough residents agree to become an Urban Service District (USD), all those who are living in Indian Hills will pay an extra $8.50 a month to help save some of these areas.
However, this will not include the pool, which would make the plan too expensive for residents.
"I just think this is a great opportunity for us to revitalize our amenities,” Dixon explained.
The petition needs 25% of registered voters in the neighborhood to agree to it, but that number may be tough to reach, as residents like Wendy McCloud do not support the proposal.
"I've never heard of a law where you need 25% to get it approved and 50% to get it unapproved,” McCloud said. “And that just flies in the face of pretty much every democratic process that we've ever experienced.”
She also said that while $8.50 might not seem like a lot, it could have a big impact on some in the area, particularly older residents on fixed incomes.
"A lot of people have stood up at these meetings or said on Facebook that $8.50 can be the difference between them eating for three days,” McCloud said.
Dixon counters the 25% claim with the point that that number would be a good representation of Indian Hills, considering many in the neighborhood don't know about the proposal.
She also said that the community club would be willing to help those who are struggling to pay, but overall, she sees this as well worth it for her community.
"Over a course of 10 years, I think that’s $1,020,” Dixon said. “I think that's a great investment for what we're offering."
Opponents like McCloud have suggested starting with a smaller USD where only those living on the lake would pay.
There will be two meetings this month to discuss all the options— on July 11 and the second one on July 25.